Man City Claim WSL Victory At King Power Stadium
Two changes were made to the side that faced Everton in the Continental Tyres League Cup in midweek with Kirstie Levell back in goal for Demi Lambourne and Paige Bailey-Gayle preferred to Natasha Flint in attack.
And it was Bailey-Gayle’s strike partner Jess Sigsworth who scored inside the opening minute on Filbert Way, charging into the penalty area and sliding the ball under Karima Taieb from a tight angle.
The away side looked to respond almost immediately through Ellen White, whose header had to be saved by Levell, who could only watch as Georgia Stanway hit the bar from range after being set up by Alex Greenwood.
Lauren Hemp’s cross was then flicked wide by White before Stanway had another attempt which flew wide of target.
With 24 minutes on the clock, Caroline Weir levelled the match. The ball rolled across the box and the Scotland international was able to fire it past Levell to break Leicester’s resistance.
On the half-hour mark, the Citizens might have gone ahead, but Levell made a diving stop to keep Weir out from close range, ahead of Jess Park diverting the follow-up wide.
The pressure on Leicester’s goal was growing and White’s header soon landed on the roof of the net. Then, with eight minutes to go until the break, Gareth Taylor’s side edged their way into the lead for the first time.
After Foxes captain Abbie McManus blocked Weir’s effort and Molly Pike stopped Filippa Angeldahl’s strike heading towards goal, the ball fell kindly for Keira Walsh to rifle a first-time shot into the back of the net from 25 yards out.
Hemp then cut inside and fired wide of the far post in the last action of the first period.
Levell kept out Jess Park with a smart save early in the second half and she also had to palm away Stanway’s long-range strike and tip Hemp’s effort over the bar in what was a busy period for City’s ‘keeper.
Stanway tried the low route, again thwarted by Levell, before a period of Leicester pressure followed. Sigsworth’s floated cross from Jemma Purfield’s free-kick was volleyed over by first-half substitute Sophie Howard.
Sam Tierney might have had a tap in had she been able to get on the end of Bailey-Gayle’s cross moments later, while Ashleigh Plumptre did connect to Purfield’s latest free-kick, but headed wide.
Back at the other end, Hemp twisted and turned to find an opener but again was denied by Levell. But she couldn’t keep out Hemp’s next effort as the England winger managed to get in behind Leicester’s defence and slot the ball beyond the Foxes ‘keeper with just under 20 minutes remaining.
Substitute Laura Coombs added a fourth with just under 10 minutes to go, coolly finding a way past Levell with one of her first touches after coming on, and that confirmed the points would be heading back to Manchester.
Major moment…
Leicester could not have dreamed for a better start as Jess Sigsworth’s early opener, her first for the Club since signing in the summer, put the hosts ahead. Manchester City’s quality told in the end though and once they added the third goal in the second half, there was only one winner.
Who impressed?
Jess Sigsworth showed her goalscoring ability and, although it wasn’t enough to take something from the game, it will give the forward confidence that she can fire Leicester up the table in the coming weeks.
At the other end of the pitch, October Player of the Month nominee Kirstie Levell made a string of impressive saves once again during the second half.
Where does it leave us?
Leicester remain 12th in the top-flight standings, yet to get off the mark after their opening six Barclays FA Women’s Super League matches.
Coming up…
LCFC Women travel to face Brighton & Hove Albion at AMEX Stadium in their next Barclays FA Women’s Super League fixture on Sunday 14 November (2pm kick-off).
The details…
City: Levell; Brougham (Howard 34’), McManus (c), Plumptre, Purfield; O’Brien (Devlin 61’), Pike, Tierney, De Graaf (Flint 61’); Bailey-Gayle (Barker 75’), Sigsworth.
Subs not used: Lambourne, Camwell, Zajmi, Grant.
Goal: Sigsworth 1’.
All times GMT.